Moistureproof salt cellar



June 30, 1953 J. P. SARES ETAL 2,643,797

MOISTUREPROOF SALT GELLAR v Filed Sept. 19, 1950 Patented `lune 30, 1953 MOISTUREPROOF SALT GELLAR l Joaquim P. Soares and Stanley J.VIiondron, Norfolk, Mass.

Application september 19, 195o, seria-1N@ 185,546

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a cover, more particularly to a cover for a vsalt cellar or other container in which moisture absorbing granular materials smaller than the openings in the cover are stored. I l

When salt and other similar materials are exposed to air, the moisture in the air is readily absorbed-by the salt. In the cellar of the present invention, the opening in the cover is fully sealed whenit is not being used but when the cellar is shaken or turned upside down to permit the salt to flow, the opening is uncovered and the salt is allowed to now freely out.

The present invention, by sealing the contents from contact with the outside air when not in use and permitting a free fIow of the contents when it is in use accomplishes this objective.

In the present invention, a cylinder or other equivalently shaped member is axially slidably mounted with holes around the top end which is closed, the cover for the cellar providing the bearing and cover element for` the cylinder and permitting restricted movement in opposite directions when changed from an upright to a downward position. A free collar of comparatively heavy weight aids in the movement of the cylinder.

This invention may also be applied to the storing of any elements having peculiar odors in which it is desirable to prevent the odors from coming out of the containers.

These and other objects of the invention will become clear when considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the cover and attached container.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken along the lines 2 2 of Figure 1 of the cover in its closed position.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the cover in its open position.

In the drawings, I represents a container which is open at the top onto which a cover 2 is snugly attached as by means of screw threads 3 as indicated or by a tapered forced t or by any other suitable means. s

As indicated more clearly in Figure 2, the cover for the container comprises a downwardly flanged cap 4 which is provided with a central opening 5. To an annular flat portion 6 of the cap there is attached a housing 'l which is preferably cylindrical in shape with a top closing member 8 and a bottom closing member 9 which is sealed to the ilange 6 in any suitable manner or may be integral with` the annular flat portion 8 of the cap. The housing 'l has two aligned holes which preferably are coaxial with a center axis of the container. These holes l0 and I I may be of the same or different sizes and can also be of diirerent shapes.. It is preferable, however, that they be of the same size and shape to receive freely but ynot loosely4 iittingV therein the hollow cylinder I2 which is open at I3 at the bottom and closed by'a cap i4 at the top which extends over and fits snugly onto the top surface of the cover 8 so that when the cylinder I2 is down in the position shown in Figure 2, the flange I5 of the top I4 fully seals the opening hole II in the housing 8. The cylinder I2 has two rings or flanges I6 and I1, both of which are rigidly attached to the cylinder I2. The liange I6 is situated sumciently below the inner surface of the cover 8 so that when the container is in the position shown in Figure 4, a series of holes I8 just behind the cap i4 will be fully exposed below the cover 8. In this position the ring or collar I6 will rest against the inside surface of the cover 8 and the open end of the cylinder I2 will still be beyond the bottom annular plate 9. Between the two rings or flanges I6 and Il, there is positioned a freely slidable ring I9 of considerable mass so that when the salt cellar is shaken in its inverted position, the mass will fall against the collar I6 and force the cylinder outward to the position shown in Figure 4. The jar due to the ring I9 will also help to cause the salt to flow more freely. When the salt cellar is returned to its upright position, the ring I9 will fall against the lower ring Il and pull the cylinder down bringing the cap I4 with its ange I5 against the top cover of the housing 8.

It will be seen from the description above that in the position shown in Figure 2, the container is substantially sealed and no moisture is permitted to get into the inside of the container. The only time that the conta-iner is exposed to the outside air is when salt is being shaken out in the position in Figure 4, and this is, of course, only for a very short interval of time.

Various modifications of the invention are readily apparent and while the cylinder i2 is described as a cylinder, it can assume other shapes providing there is a close sliding nt all around in the cap 8 and the ange I5 covers over the opening II.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. A salt cellar and the like comprising a salt container having a cap member with an opening therein, a sleeve element fitted in said opening with a flange on the end of the sleeve member adapted to rest and fit closely over the periphery of the hole on the top of the cover, means mounting the sleeve element for longitudinal motion coaxial with the axis of the hole, a ring of heavy metal slidable on said sleeve, means limiting the motion of the ring onthe sleeve, means limiting the motion of said sleeve, said sleeve being provided with a series of holes around the top just beneath said ange.

2. A salt cellar and the like comprising a salt container having a, cap member with an opening therein, a sleeve element fitted in said opening with a fla-nge on the end of the sleeve member adapted to rest and nt closely over the periphery of the hole on the top of the cover, means mounting the sleeve element for longitudinal motion coaxial with the axis of the hole, a ring of heavy metal slidable on said sleeve, means limiting the motion of the ring on the sleeve, means limiting the motion of said sleeve comprising a ange extending outwardly of the sleeve beneath the cap, said sleeve being provided with a series of holes around the top just beneath said first flange.

3. A salt cellar and the like comprising a, container, a cover for said container including a housing enclosed around the sides of the housing with top and bottom closing elements for the 4 housing substantially parallel to one another, said closing elements having aligned openings, a sleeve fitting in said openings having a closed end with a flange element extending and fitting around the opening in the top closing element, a series of holes in said sleeve element just below the flange, a pair of outwardly extending flanges mounted on the sleeve element, one near the top closure and one near the bottom closure, and a ring of heavy material around the sleeve between said last mentioned flanges free to move along the sleeve, said last mentioned flanges being larger than the opening in the closing member whereby motion of the sleeve is limited.

' JOAQUIM P. SOARES. STANLEY J. LONDON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date V160,157 Camp July 23, 1875 397,104 Ayer Feb. 5, 1889 732,214 Overbaugh June 30, 1903 946,085 Wilson Jan. 1l, 1910 979,500 Isbell Dec. 27, 1910 1,468,534 Lang Sept. 18, 1923 1,931,087 Schwartz et al Oct. 17, 1933 2,139,289 Skoda Dec. 6, 1938 2,192,020 S-tubler Feb. 27, 1940 

